Improvememt in car-couplings



UNITED STATES PATELL Prion.

GILLMAN H. AMES, OF FORT FAIRFIELD, MAINE.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-COUPLINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 156,326, dated October 27, 1874; application filed September 22, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GILLMAN H. Arms, of Fort Fairfield, in the countyof Aroostook and State of Maine, have invented a new and Improved Oar-Coupling; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same,- reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation, and Fig. 2 a horizontal section.

The invention relates to the construction 0 automatic car-couplings; and consists in the improvement thereof, as hereinafter fully described and pointed out in the claims.

A represents the draw-head, 'which has the top slot a, curved slot at on each side, and the horizontal opening a at the bottom. To each draw head I attach a coupling-link, B, having a bottom hook, 1), side arms b and a centrally-pivoted uncoupler or lever-catch, b The latter is pivoted in the rear slot of link, so that its weighted rear end will keep the cross-bar in front just behind the link.

When two cars come together the link of one will press the .inclined front of hook b, thus raising the hook untilits end drops over that of thelink, when said link end will rest against the superposed cross-bar of the uncoupler b, which is in a subjacent cross-slot of link B. From the heavy end of this latter 7 will extend a cord or chain, by which it may be lifted, and thus cause the. other or crossbar end to be depressed. This will force the link to uncouple.

As the hook I) rests upon the bottom of draw-head, it raises the link so as to allow for any difference in the height of difi'erent links.

With the rear of link B I connect, by a cord, D, passing through a hole in bottom of drawhead, the rear of supplementary-slotted link E, which slides in the bottom guide-aperture or opening a upon a guiding and holding pin, (7.

When a car with my coupling meets one in which the common pin is employed, the'upper portion of the 'latters draw-head strikes the link B, and forces it in, the latter being thereby made, at the same time, to force out the link E, in which the pin is to be dropped. On the other hand, if link E is out when two cars with my coupling come together, the bottom of draw-head will force in the link E, and thereby thrust out the one B. Thus it will be readily seen that my invention not only possesses the merit of uncoupling automatically and with great certainty, but is adapted to act even with the ordinary pin-coupling.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is- 1. A link, B, having the subjaccnt hook b and pivoted lever-catch 12 to allow cars to be coupled and uncoupled in the manner described.

2. The two links B E, connected together on the same draw-head, to allow either to be operated by ,a contracting draw-head, and made to thrust out the one needed, as set forth.

'3. The link B, having hook b, in combination with a draw-har having the side slots 0), as and for the purpose specified.

GILLMAN H. AMES. 

